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“A Delayed Harvest”
By Susanne Scheppmann
Key
Verse:
“The Lord is not slow in
keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not
wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance”
2 Peter 3:9 (NIV)
Devotion:
After thirty-three turbulent years, she received
the answer to her prayer. The years of verbal abuse finally ended. The violent
fits of rage dissolved into a mixture of sweet kindness and mature patience.
She had planted prayers for more than three decades, and then suddenly God’s
response came. Finally, my mother harvested God’s reply--her husband, my
father, blossomed into a godly man. He died three years later.
The transformation of my alcoholic and abusive
father came as a complete surprise to me. I had given up any hope of a change
in him. I felt my dad was too hard a case--even for a sovereign God. I chose
not to remember Jeremiah 32:27, “I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is
anything too hard for me?” (NIV). I figured my father was hopeless--I gave up
praying for him.
All this changed the day my mother called and
said, “Your dad accepted Jesus Christ as Lord. He is now a Christ follower.”
She explained what had happened. My dad lay on his bed late one night watching
a rerun of an old Billy Graham crusade. At the end, he walked out of the
bedroom and said, “Kay, I need to pray. Help me know Jesus.” At seventy-nine
years of age, my father became a child of God. His personality changed
immediately and completely.
Why did so many hardship-filled years pass
before mother experienced the results of her faith? I don’t know. However, I do
know it gave me a new perspective on learning to wait for the harvest of my
prayers. It may take many years, but I have witnessed the results of faith and
prayer—I will no longer doubt.
Are there prayers you are waiting to have
answered? Don’t give up! Our Lord is faithful. Remember our Key Verse, “The
Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is
patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to
repentance” (2 Peter 3:9 NIV). Wait on the Lord. Be patient—the harvest will
come.
Prayer:
Dear Lord, I realize
that I am impatient for answers to my prayers concerning my loved ones. Grant
me patience to know that You will answer in Your perfect timing. Help me not to
become discouraged and doubtful, remembering nothing is too hard for You. Keep
me diligent in prayer. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Application
steps:
In
a prayer journal, write out 2 Peter 3:9 and Jeremiah 32:27. Reread these verses
each time you begin to pray for your loved ones you believe are too hard for
our God to change.
Reflections:
Have
I given up hope for the Lord to intervene in my loved one’s life?
Do
I believe that he/she is too unreachable for God?
Power
verses:
Psalms
145:8, “The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love”
(NIV).
Exodus 34:6, “And he passed in front of Moses,
proclaiming, "The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow
to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness” (NIV).
Psalms 27:14, “Wait for the Lord; be strong and
take heart and wait for the Lord” (NIV).
© 2009 by Susanne Scheppmann. All rights reserved.
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